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5.07.2009

Panamanian Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papas) Recipe

Ensaladade Papas (Potato Salad) in Panama is a beautiful pink color because they throw in a beet. Don't let this discourage you from trying it. The beet adds more color than flavor. This is a very common party food. Often served as a side to Arroz con Pollo (Rice with Chicken) for birthday dinners.

This little Latina has finish Arroz con Pollo and Ensaladade Papas. Photo from Cooking in Panama

The women generally get together the morning of the party and cook the food together. The boiling is done in a deep metal pot over a cook fire.

Then add everything else and mix just enough to coat the vegetables with the mayonnaise.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pink potato salad can be served warm or cold. Generally there aren't refrigerators in the country side of Panama so it is served warm. This recipe should serve 4-5 people.

I am working on writing up how to cook some of the classic Panamanian dishes. Food is very much a part of culture. If you want your own little slice of Panama try some of the recipes here Recipes from Panama.

7 comments:

When I went to Costa Rica, to visited my grandmother who has lived there for 46 years! she cooked a recipe called "ensalada de papa", oh my gad what delicious, I think that the recipe is the same as the post!!!

We lived in Panama for two years (20047-2009) with the Peace Corps. We lived up in el monte were there was no electricity, cellphone signal or paved roads. Peace Corps sends it volunteers to communities that as for help and have a population living below a designated poverty level. So yeah, our experience was probably not the same as yours! If you want to see a tour of our house and a little of how we lived check out this post: http://foyupdate.blogspot.com/2008/01/day-247-volunteer-service-our-house.html

Every house I went to in Boqueron, Chiriqui has a fridge. What part of the country are you talking about? In my family we make this all the time but have never had garlic in it, we also use more than 1 egg, & we will use either slice green olive or capers and no mustard (that is only for "american" style potato salad. Each family has their own ensalada de papas recipe.

Most volunteers live with native populations or communities that qualify for Canasta Basica de Alimentos so my idea of normal Panama is probably a bit skewed. If you are in the more populated/castillano parts of Panama there is probably electricity and even cell signal -sweet sweet cell signal. Remind me to tell you about the three hour hike we could do to the top of the Continental divide and maybe if the clouds parted send a text message.

Panama is not just chiriqui,and I'm pretty sure not every house in boquerón chiriqui has a fridge either, even in the city you could still find families without a fridge but that's just material stuff, I love the fact that you have been in my country and have taken a little piece of our cooking style and posted it for everyone to see and to try, love the work you are doing with the peace corps as well. My mom is Panamanian and her salad is to die for!!! She does use more eggs and no garlic, but that is a little twist so I'm going to try it!😊😊😊😊